1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a tiller, and in particular to a support bracket for use in mounting a handlebar and a skid to the tiller.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed brackets for use in attaching handlebars and skids to agricultural machines. One example of such brackets is known from Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. SHO 58-41103 entitled xe2x80x9cHAND-PUSHED AGRICULTURAL MACHINExe2x80x9d.
FIG. 10 hereof shows a bracket of a machine 100 as disclosed in the publication. The machine 100 includes a handlebar 102 extending backwardly and upwardly from a body 101 thereof. The handlebar 102 has an operational handle 103 attached thereto.
The handlebar 102 has a lower mounting member 102a positioned at a lower end thereof. The member 102a is attached via a bolt 104 to the body 101. The handlebar 102 has a lower bracket 105 attached to an upper end 102b thereof. The lower bracket 105 is mounted to the body 101 by means of a bolt 106. The handlebar 102 thus arranged extends backwardly from the body 101 of the machine 100.
The handle 103 has an upper bracket 107 mounted to a lower end 103a thereof. The bracket 107 is attached through a bolt 108 to the bracket 105. This arrangement allows the attachment of the handle 103 to the handlebar 102.
The bracket 107 has a cylindrical member 109 provided at a rear end thereof. A skid 110 is inserted through the member 109. The skid 110 is to pierce soil to a selected depth at which tillage tines of the machine 100 are operated.
Mounting the handlebar 102 and the skid 110 to the body 101 of the machine 100 requires the three parts, that is, the lower bracket 105, the upper bracket 107, and the cylindrical member 109.
The machine 100 having as many as three parts is costly to manufacture. The machine 100 thus arranged is complicated in construction.
An object of the present invention is to provide a support bracket, which can be made using a minimum number of parts, for use with a tiller.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support bracket for use in attaching a handlebar and a skid to a body of a tiller, the support bracket comprising: a cylindrical portion sized such that the skid is inserted therethrough; and a receiving portion sized to receive the handlebar; the cylindrical portion and the receiving portion being formed by bending a substantially rectangular single plate in two.
In a preferred form of the present invention, the plate includes: a groove portion formed centrally of the plate, the groove portion extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the plate; right and left flat plate portions positioned rightwardly and leftwardly of the groove portion, respectively; right and left curved portions extending in substantially parallel to the groove portion, the right curved portion extending outwardly from a right edge of the right flat plate portion, the left curved portion extending outwardly from a left edge of the left flat plate portion; and right and left connection portions extending in substantially parallel to the groove portion, the right connection portion extending outwardly from a right edge of the right curved portion, the left connection portion extending outwardly from a left edge of the left curved portion, when the plate is bent in two, the groove portion being formed into the cylindrical portion, the right and left curved portions being opposed to each other to provide the receiving portion, and the right and left connection portions being opposed to each other in such a manner as to be connected to the body of the tiller.
In a further preferred form of the present invention, the right and left flat plate portions include right and left projecting portions, respectively, extending longitudinally of the plate, the right projecting portion being positioned between the groove portion and the right curved portion, the left projecting portion being positioned between the groove portion and the left curved portion, the right and left projecting portion projecting in a direction in which the groove portion is concaved, the right and left projecting portions reinforcing the right and left flat plate portions, respectively.
The support bracket is a single plate bent in two. The plate includes the cylindrical portion sized such that the skid is inserted therethrough, the receiving portion sized to receive the handlebar, and the flat plate portions each extending between the cylindrical portion and the receiving portion.
Accordingly, it becomes possible to provide the bracket without requiring additional parts. The thus arranged bracket is simple in construction.
Each of the flat plate portions includes the projecting portion. By thus providing the projecting portions, the flat plate portions are reinforced to thereby increase in strength.